Visible index signal means



Sept. 21, 1948. c, ATTWQQD 2,449,576

VISIBLE INDEX SIGNAL MEANS I Fii d Aug. 25, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 JAN FEB MAR nd MAY JUNE AUG SEPT ec'T NOV use Z9 ccacymnclcymmcndkn i7 A51 FEEL -19. "a 2'1 2. 921 "2! a 7 Z7 I m l V fiz/ezzform' Ck7f/6S 27722220004 Sept. 21, 1948. E, fi-WQOD 2,449,576

VISIBLE INDEX SIGNAL MEANS Fi led Aug. 25, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I 35 ::!lll|| "mum \w 3X nnmllllllll '"lm% $4 ,L /Z5 Z7\\ EB MAR APR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT 064 NOV 02c "lmlllllllllll I?) lllllullllllll 'i'l [Z7 32 )6 llllliiflllllll 5 7 i5 36 g I i3 2+ JAN FEB MAR A'PR MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT 00'! NOV DEC 32- M inl M II 1m Ill will i J2 ("bar/es ,ZEQ-E'Yzaaad Patented Sept. 21, 1948 VISIBLE INDEX SIGNAL MEANS Charles E. Attwood, Chicago, Ill.,' a ssignor to Acme Visible Rccor 615, Inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporation ofDelawa're i Application August 25, 1944, Serial No. 551,114

This invention relates to, visible index record devices and particularly to novel signalling means for use and in combination therewith.

The present invention relates ingeneral to signalling means employed in connection with v record card holders of the class having'a transparent sheath embracing the lower marginal edge portion of the holder, known as pockettype holders, and which are adapted to support rec rd cards with the lower marginal edge portions of the card projected within the sheath or pocke et. These card holders, as conventional, are adapted to be hingedly mounted on traysor holders in overlapping relationship with the lower marginal portions of the cards visible through the transparent sheaths, and the visible margins of the cards are conventionally provided with imprinted index data or with delineated areas for insertion of such data, and thereby provide a visible index component or areafor the record cards. This visible index component may, as indicated, be the lower marginal edge portion of the record card, or in the alternative anintegral upturned lip, or a separate index insert.

It has further been conventional. to employin combination with such Visible index components signalling means in the form of movableor slidable strips or pieces of transparent material of a contrasting color to the record card or its visible index component for the purpose of directing attention to specific conditions, periods,

practice it has been found that most of the signailing means at present used are so likely to become dislodged that after entering the condi- 1 tions indicated on the visible line thejlifting up of the card is usually necessary to determine whether the condition indicated on the visible margin is correct.

devices have provided more or less guides which generally had to be checked.

In accordance with the present invention dependable and positive signallin means are provided and wherein the signal or position of the signal or condition which it indicates is positive and locked and cannot be disturbed in the con: tinuous lifting over and manipulation of the cards for posting purposes or acci-dentaldisplacement by the and of the user.

The signalling means of the present invention Thus instead of providing dependable, positive signalling means, the prior away of the lower marginal edge'portion of a further permits the entire such purposes.

length of theyisible margin-to be usedto indicate progress, interrupted progress or'block signalling and one sig-' nal can be used for any adaptation of anyof The present invention comprises the employ-. mentof the card holder having a transparent. sheath embracing the lower marginal edgeportion thereof with a record card supported on the holder with the lower marginal edge portion, comprising an index area, component thereof, extended within the pocketor sheath of the holder, the index portion of the card being formed with a plurality of downwardly projecting tongues, or

"formed with a series of vertical slots extending to the lower marginal edge dividing it thereat into a plurality of tongues, and an elongated strip of contrasting color to thecard extending across and engaged within the. sheath, the tongues being adapted to be severally positioned, within said sheath, in overlying and underlying relationship to the elongated colored strip for signalling cooperation therewith.

The slotting at the bottom of the card, which can be done toaccommodate any number of conditions or stations, forms a simple, compact, and economical means of accomplishing many diifer ent varieties of signalling. Once a signal strip is inserted within the pocket of the holder, which can be done at the factory, the user or customer is relieved of all other requirements in placing the signal except the manipulation of the card. When the card is removed for, any reason from the pocket there is no danger of the signal strip falling out. i The invention will be further described in connection with the following specification and ac companying drawings Whcreini Fig. 1 is a face view of a record card wherein the lower marginal edge or index portion thereof is divided bya series of slots extending to the edge thereof dividing it into a plurality of tongues. Fig. 2 is a face view of a record card. holder of the pocket type having an elongated colored signalstrip engaged within the pocket thereof and having mounted thereon the card of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a face view of the elongated colored signal strip employed in the pocketof the holder of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a. fragmentary view with parts broken card holder embodying the signal means of my invention similar to that ,of Figs. 1 to 3, illusillustrating the method of signalling use of my invention.

Fig. 6 is also a view similar to those of Figs. 4 and 5 and further illustrating signalling use of my invention.

Fig. '7 is an enlarged section on the line 7-1 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is" an enlarged section taken. on the line 88 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged section taken on the.

line 9-9 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, referencenumeral 25 indicates a card holder of the conventional type having a transparent sheath z'fi rembr acing; the lower marginal edge portion thereof and engaged thereto by means of a pair of staples 21. The holder 25 is adapted to support recordcards by engaging the upper corners of the recordoard through the oblique slots 28 in the body of the holder and by extending the lower marginal edgeportion of' the card within the sheathifi the lower marginal edge portion of the card being J visiblethrough the transparent sheath 2%.

Thecard holders 25' are provided with flexible hinge lines such as defined by the lines of perforations?!) andthe holder is secured to a suitable mounting; means or hanger strip fit), whereby a plurality: of .suchholders may be mountedagainst the surface of a suitable trayor other holder; with the card' holders in overlapping relationship; to each other, and spaced longitudinally or the tray, soas ,toexpose the sheathed portion oil each cardjholderand to thereby permit the lower marginalli edge.portion of a supported} card to' provide visible lindexing means.

Inaccordance. with the. form of. the present inventionillustrated in Figs. 1 to,9', signalling' means lareprovided for use and in combination with theivisibleindex area of" the record cardv byposlitioningan elongated stripjfll, composed,

preferably of. .a transparent flexible plastic material such as iorexample Celluloid, and; ofv a contnastingcolor. to that. of,v the record card to. be

mounted,onfv the holder. This signal strip 3)! ,is

ofg. a lengthy which. I extends v. substantially completely-acrbssthe. width of. theholder and is en:- gaged within the .pocket. by --means of the lateral' projectionsda which .areadaptedto enter the sheath lfi beneath the edge otthe. staplesZl and to thereby holdthe signal strip 31. against ,accidental upwardwithdrawalor displacement.

For. signalling purposes. in combination with thesignal strip 3!, record cards 33 which .are otherwise of conventional shape and size are. em-

ployed wherein, however, in accordance withthe present invention, the lower marginal index edge be made for any other suitable purpose. desired such as for example ten divisions or tongues. for,

number-ing purposes by commodities, etc.

Fig. 2 illustrates a holder 25 having .a card33 1 supported. thereon with the lower marginaledge portion ordividedindex area component thereof extended within the .transparentsheath Zd th'is divided. index area portion, being superimposed over the elongated signalling strip 3| seated wlthin the pocket and engaged therein by means of its lateral projections 32.

The arrangement of the component parts as illustrated in Fig. 2 may be considered to be the initial condition when no signalling is indicated. In signalling use one or more of the tongues are extended over the upper edge of the strip 3! andposlitionedi rearwardly thereof, that is, be-

tween the signal strip and the body of the holder 25 ,.to thereby le ave exposed or superimposed a section of the colored strip 3| over a tongue 35. Conyersely, contrast may be brought about by initially superimposing the full length of the coloredistrip ifl over; the face of the lower marginal edgeindex'jarea; component 34 of the card 33 and thereafter for signalling purposes one or moreof1.the...tongues 35 brought forwardly over thehpper. edge of the strip 3! and positioned between the strip 3! and the sheath 26 to thereby provide contrast in color.

F iger lg 5- -and 6 areillustrative of the use of the present inventionwhcrein initially the card and the coi'oredsignal strip-are initially inthe positionsindicated in Fig.- 2. Thus, for example, Fig-: 6 shows-ga-regularsuccession of tongues 35' extended beneath the colored signalling strip 33 for thepu'rposeo-f'indioating a uniformly progressive-condition by months. The illustration in 5 ina similar manner illustrates a pluralityof-= tongues" projecting rearwardly of the colored signalstripiii; an arrangement which may be'indicativeof interrupted progress, that is, certain intervening tongues still remain for- Wardly oftheycolor-ed signal strip 3!.

Fig; l illustrateswhatmay be considered a multiple block signal, that is, an isolated number of tong'ueshave-been projected relarwardly of the colored signalstriptl to direct attention to, for example; particular: months.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that.

the var Qus. arrange nents and signal combinationsjmay .be employed; for the purposev of indicating various conditions and in. various single and" multiple arrangement and, of course, as

previously indicated, the, depending series or tongues may be. offany desired predetermined numl er andlmay bear predetermined index data 01; suchdata maybe inscribe-don the tongues. to suitany desired purposeor arrangement. Once, however, signalstripM, is inserted within the transparent. sheath 'efiand engaged therein by meansof,the..later1al.extensions 32, the only requirement .of thev user is to position the tongues 35in clesired relationship to the signal strip 3!,

- Whicharrangement cannot be disturbed in the liiting., .and, manipulation of the holders during use of .th e..cards for posting. orreference purposeaandlwhen a .cardls removed for any reason from the pocket,there is no danger of slgnal tal es ut.

ll'r-lS obvious to those skilled in the art that it isnot sq limited;but is susceptible of various, changes and,modifrcations without departing from the spirit and scope. of the claimed invention-5,; I

I-iclaimaasmy invention:

.1: A.v-i sibl e. indexv record device comprising a card holder a,transparent sheath embracing the lower marginal edge portion of saidcard holder,

a..record-card supported on said holder and extending ,withimsaidsheath, an elongated signal strip of contrasting color to said card extending withinu the, sheath, and means to secure said signal strips against displacement from said 's.- invention,has been shown but in.

sheath the lower portion of said record card being formed with a plurality of downwardly projecting 2. A visible index record device comprising a card holder, a transparent sheath embracing the lower marginal edge portion of said card holder, a record car-d supported on said holder with the lower edge portion thereof projected within said sheath, an elongated signal strip extending across the width of the holder and engaged within and projecting freely above said sheath thereof, and means provided on said card holder to prevent upward or lateral displacement of said signal strip, said signal strip being colored in contrast to the color of said card, and the lower marginal edge portion of said card being in the form of a plurality of downwardly projecting tongues, said tongues being adapted to be positioned forwardly 0r rearwardly of the colored strip for signalling purposes.

3. A visible index record device comprising a card holder, a transparent sheath embracing the lower marginal edge portion of said card holder, a record card supported on said holder with the lower marginal edge portion comprising an index area component thereof extended within said sheath, an elongated strip of contrasting color to said car-d extending across and engaged within said sheath, and staples provided at the sides of said card holder to prevent displacement of said elongated strip from said sheath, said index portion of the record card being formed with a series of vertical slots extending to the lower marginal edge dividing it into a plurality of tongues, said tongues being adapted to be severally positioned within said sheath in overlying or underlying relationship to said elongated strip for signalling cooperation therewith.

CHARLES E. A'I'IWOOD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Uhlir Apr. '7, 1942 

